Means for controlling light



Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,873

M. H. GREENEWALT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING'LIGHT Filed Oct. 24:1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 -WITNESSES:

INVENTOR @ff Mary HaHock Greenewalt.

Jan. 3, 1928.

M. H. GREENEWALT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING LIGHT Filed Oct. 24, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mary Hal lock Greenewalt.

BY g ATTOREZEY Jan. 3, 1928.

M. H. GREENEWALT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING LIGHT il 24, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNESSES:

INVENTOR E Mary Hallockfireenewalt. L:

ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,873

M. H. GREENEWALT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING LIGHT Q'Filed 0019- 24. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.4.

JJLUUJUUQUL WITNESSES INVENTOR z Mar HaHock Greenewa y y 52 I Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,873

H. GREENEWALT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING LIGHT Filed 001?- 24; 1.923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 V l2 Fig.5.

I l i// 2 INVENTOR WITNESSES:

' H HocH Greenewah. W

-J M W Patented Jan. 3,192s. a a Les-wag I "UNITED STATES? PA ENT Q- Y CEQ;

MARY HALLQGKGREENEWA T, 0F PHILADELPHIA, rnmvsYLvAnm.

amiliivs r03 CONTROLLING LIGHT. Application filed o toberfzi, 1923. Serial No. 670,432.

My invention relates to means for" emjects and forms for projection,"fljuidlenses y 'ploying light and color as a vehicle for ex or boxes, lenses or any otlier'means that i pressing emotions, and particularly to may be employed to modify or enhance color means for controlling or modifying light impressions Eachofthese light-modify- '5 wh n'go employ d p in'g membersarenormally'heldby'gravity The general object of my invention is to in a depending position and are inoperar provide means for permitting of projecting tive relatively to the light from said source, designs therewith, coloring, tinting, or 0th and are severally operatively 'associated erwise modifying th light. from a given with substantially circular members, each 5 io 'lightsource. having a single tooth'fth'ereonl All ofthe When using light and color variations as a single tOOth .IIIQHlbQIS zli iplVOtally mounted means of expressing emotions, l mayde nsp'aced relation on a single'shaft. she to variably illuminate Varying areas i-i Inember of substantially U-shape, is}

"and spac'e's,'and it may be desirable to place pivot-ally mounted at its ends on the said 1 is a lu lit f li ht Sources i h los shaft and carries a plurality of'pawlsthat j positions that'th'e ray divergence-and 'atarerespectively controlledby electro-inag tendaiit weakening of the color will be the ts. Th m mber f U-shape iscontinuous, least possible. This would result in the l v reciprocated by an adjustable speed mo- I light-units being distant from the operator tOi. A resilient y-positioned "latch bar is 20 d from each other. It may becomedeso located as to be engagedby ahook sesirable to cause the rays of light of some fl e l (521011 Of light-modifying mi light sources to cross those from other bers when'the same {have beenswunginto sources, or to be mixed therewith, 0r otheran operative posi i n fi e light 3 0,-

wise employed to use their possibilities in said source by the action 'ot'athe reeiprocatl keeping with this invention. I To accoming member and 'pawls," and thereby lock plish this a plurality of spaced light sources the gh -m d fyi g embf s in 1 theirdop may beemployed, that are selectively con 'erative positions. Each light-modifying trolled froma single remote point for shoW- 'filfl s me ns for effecting the .l e-

j nit f purpose d i di idu lit flease of a previously locked light-modify 5 30 control not obtainable in any otherway. ing member members. 7

I Another object of my invention is there- In the drawings lore to provide a remote-controlled mecha- Figure 1 1s a View, partly in front eleva-- nisrn'that' shall permit of coloring or othertion and partly in section, of adeviceiem i wise affecting the light from alight source bodying my invention, v 5 90, as with relation to timed use and timed se- Fig. 2 is a view,insideelvatibii thereof,

quence relatively: to each other, as is're-- Fig.3 is a topplanview thereof," f terredto in my co-pending application, Se- Fig. 4' is a partialview, in side*elevatioi1,: rial No. 657,731, filed August 16, 1923; on'a-n' enlarged scale, v i x Another object of my invention is to pro- Fig. 5 is a view, in verticalfsection, ofa 4U ride a device of the above mentioned'charpart of a device embodying my'inventiomY acter that shall be economic "in its operation. Fig. 6 is a schematic View of a "circuit conllnother object of my invention is to protrolling means comprising apart of my in- ;\*i(le a light-controlling or light-modifying vention, p device wherein the colored or otherwise Fig. 7 is a view, in prospective, ofa' circuit modified light rays come from the same 0- controlling box, and r 1 cal point or in the same path, thereby at Fig. 8 isja schematic diagram'ofconnect-e cting, byditlerent colors or other modifi- ,tions of a driving motor 'operatively assocations, the same light space without the ciated with the device embodying my invendeviationor variation that would be caused tion. p f 00 by two light paths and sources. v In the drawings, '11 representsfa suitable i In its present embodimentmy invention base or other supporting structure 'upon 7 comprises a suitable" source of light mountwhich is mounted a skeleton frame'12, and a :ed in a reflector and located adjacent; to a second skeletonframe 13, the latter supportp 7 skeleton frame carrying a plurality of inmg alight source 14f The light sourcelis 1U dividual light-modifying members, such as here illustrated as an incandescentclamp'ot color screens, texture veilsor materials, obrelatively high power that is energize l' liiv current carried thereto through a. suitable supply circuit conductor 15. The numeral 16 indicates a suitable reflector within which the light source l tis mounted, and which may be of any suitable or desired shape and size to effect the desired distribution of light relatively to an area or to a space to be illuminated. lVhile I have illustrated an elongated and relatively narrow reflector, I wish it to be understood; that this is illustrative only,,and that I may employ any desired kind of reflector and may employ also a hood or ray-absorbingshield to counteract the effeet-of any unfiltered light rays that are refiected backwardly from the color screens to be hereinafter described.

In one part of the frame 12 located adjacent to the lightsource 14 there is mounted a'horizontally extendingshaft 17 on which is journalled aswinging member 18, of substantially U-shape mounted on the shaft at or near the outer ends of the two arms. Loosely mounted on the said shaft between the arms of themember 18 are a plurality of circular members 19, each having asingle tooth 21 provided on its outer or peripheral sur face. The members 19 are suitably spaced from each other by separating collars 22.'

Each of the members 19 has fixed thereto and suspended therefrom an arm 23, to

which is secured a holder L3 for a lens'or plate of colored glass or other light-coloring operative and while under the influence, of

gravity and of a spring or other means (not shown) to keep them from swinging, they hang vertically below the shaft 17 and may be swung, by mechanism to be hereinafter described, into such aposition that thecenter of the disks 24 shall bein the line. of projection of the light from the light source 14. I have not illustrated or described any specific means for holding the disks 24 inrthe holders235, as any desired means may be employed that will permit of inserting and of removing them easily and quickly. I have also deemed it unnecessary'to illustrate or describe any specific means for preventing swinging of the holders as this forms no part of my invention and any of the well known methods or devices may be employed.

The

belle-rank lei ton: to temperate with the tooth 21 of the rotation (if the pulley 32 of the shaft 31 and the shaft 27,and an oscillating or reciproratingmovement of the member of U-shape 18 on the shaft 17 I The speed of the motor and the speed reduction effected by the hereinbefore dey scribed ,trainof gear wheels provides substantially onecomplete reciprocating movement of the member .18 per second, and as it is not only desirable but necessary to vary this time for reasons to be hereinafter set forth, I employ a shunt wound motor that is provided with a shunt field rheostat 36,

(see Fig.8) to permit of varying the current through the field of the motor and thereby varying the speed of the motor and also of the member 18 within any desired limits. The correlation of the parts and their operating characteristics are-such will result in quiet and practically noiseless operation.

. This motive power provides the first of a number of timingfactors in the device embcdyingg: my invention, reference to which will be he .mafter made in the description.

Extending laterally of the member of U- shape 18, adjacent to the upper or intermediate portion thereof, is a member 37 suitably secured thereto or integral therewith,

and-upon this member or portion 37 are mitates in. side-by-side and spaced relation a plurality of electro-magnets- 38. Each of the electrocnagnets co-operates withan arm 3.): of a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on thomemht T he other arm 41 of the ter is so located as to be in posical-operatingcircular member 19. but is noranally sold out of engagement therewith bya spring" 42 that has oneend connected there to and the other end connected to a pla'tc member 4 3 secured to the portion 37 and extending parallel thereto. I

An adjustable stop member 44 is provided for carh of the hell crank leversherembefore 7 de cribed, and comprises a machine screw iding throughopenings in themembcr and locked in position by a plurality of nuts lh. When the electro-magnets 88 are not energized, the be l crank lever comprising-the arms 89 and ell, occupies thc position indicated by the broken lines in Fig; 5, and the frame 18 may he oscillated or given a reciprocating motion as hcreinbefore der'ibed without the end of the arm 4:1,comt with the tooth 21 of he memin contact her 19. If however. by any suitable means,

one of theelectrc-magnets 38 is energized,

the arm 89, constituting the armature of its ,co-ope rating magnet 38; is attracted thereby and moyed into the-position illustrated by the fulllines in Fig.6. In'tl'iis position the end of the arm-41 will operatively engage the tooth 21, and as the nieinber'ot U-shape 18 together with the' ele'ctro-magnets and pawls, is reciprocated themember or mem-- bers 19 thus "engaged are given a turning movementon the supporting shaft, and the disc or discs 2d inythe normally depending members 23 are in'ojv'edto oneside and to substantially theposition illustrated by the broken lines' in Fig, 5 'of the drawings. In this position the center-ofthe disc is substantially 'in-alinementwith the axis of the beam of lightjproduced by the light source and is therefore QflGCtlVillO color-or'other- ,wis'e modify thesame, in accordance with the character of the particular screen or screens. Thes'keletonframe 12co npr'1ses a lateral supporting bracket 46 between whose arms there is pivotally mounted a latch bar-i7, of

substantially inverted-V-shape in lateral section. The latch bar is pivotally mountedon suitable pivots 48 and has on oneof its portions adjacent the eclge thereof, a lip member or holding strip 49 substantially co-extensi-ve with the member" d7 andmade of relatively hard material in order 'to show but little Wear during long periods of operation. Tl-i'e latch bar it? is maintainedin.its-non inal position substantiallyas shown in- Fig: 5 of thed-rawings by "a spring member extending between anintegr-a-l portion 52 of the latch bar 47, and a suitable holdingneii i ber 53 secured to the bracket 46; Means for limiting the turning noven'ieiit-o't thelatch .7

hair under the influence ofthespring 51 may comprise a machine screw 54c' 'an'd a plurality of lock nuts 55.

The lip or holding strip 49 is adapted to be engaged by a hook member '56," one of i which is mountedon each of the members 23 intermediate the endsthereof. Means for eiiecting the release of alight modifying memberor members from the operative positions thereof upon the" movement of another light 'modiiying member or member'sj into the operative position, comprises a machine screwj57 located a short distance below the hook member 5.6'on each of the members 23.

causing the lip member 49 to disengage the hookmember or members 56th en in operativc engagement therewith, whereby the previously operative light modifying menuher or members are permitted to return to the-inoperative position by the action of gravity, where they are'held by any means (not shown) that will' keep them from swinging back into the light path."

The replacing of tlielight modifying member or members previously operative by one or more moved intooperative positions so timed as to allow no unmodified light to become visible between these operations. The replacement is accur'atelytimed to allow no fault in between and this constitutes a second timing factor in the device.

'As was hereinbefore stated, any desired n'umber of such light units may betniployed' to produce the. desired effects, and it may become necessary to locate the respective light sources in widely separated positions 'Witlr'respect to' each other and to the area or the space to be illuminated thereby.

Hence it becomesnecessary to be able to operate the yarious 'moving mechanisms of the type hereinbefore described from'a single remote point, and in order to permit thisII have devised-a relatively simple and compact means. A boX 59 of relatively small dimensions hasinounted therein a plui'al'ity of pivotally mounted, elongated keys 61', located in side-by-side relation, and normally maintained in their inoperative or raised position by aspring 62. Eachof the keys'61' has suitably secured thereto on the 7 under side thereof, -an' elongated resilient J contact member 63 substantially co-extensive with the key 61: The-outer end of the Te sil-i'ent member 63 is'adapted to operatively engage a stationary contactinember (is, one

of each of these being provided under the" .iespective keys and contact members 63.

i no

The contactmembers 63 are respectively connected by suitable conductors to one end of the Winding of the elect-ro-magnets 38 the other ends of the windings being core nected together and to one side of conductor 65 of a suitable source of supply of electrice iergy; The stationary contact members 64 are electrically connected together and to the-otherconductor 66 "of the source of supply iof electric energy. g

"It may be noted that thisside-by-s'ide arrangement of the [elongated keys is an adaptation to the relative position and 'place-' nient of the fingers and the thumb" of'the operators hand and to thefpossibilities of their use: By this means.simultaneous operative' engagemento'f a'plurality of co-operating contact members may be efiected, or any desired sequence orselection of opera tive engagementmay. be easily effected by the operator. W'liere 'a' plurality of light.

sources are to be controlled by oiie'o'perator theirespective'keys of difi erent control boxes may be interconnected or interlocked to perniitjone pressure to actuate all light modifying mechanisms simultaneously. and similarly. The movement of a light modifying member into an operative position only upon finger pressure being applied by an operator constitutes a third timing factor of the mechanism.

The resilient switches operatively associated with the pivotally mounted keys are 7 particularly applicable when the device embodying my invention is employed where delicacy of feel is a. factor in perfection of timing. This would particularly be the case where the device embodying my invention is employed in accompanying a piece of music where the shadings of the light are to be changed from one tint to another, which changes, though infrequent, arestill governed bythe beat of the music. This timing through muscular feel is a fourth timing factor of the mechanism.

The operation of the device embodying my invention is substantially as follows the motor 35 is suitably energized and is effective to cause a reciprocating movement of the member 18 on theshaft 17, and as hereinbefore stated, these movements may be at the rate of substantially one'per second but in general will be such as is particularly applicable to the use made thereof. As long as none of the electroemagnets 38 are caused to be energized through the depression of any of the keys 61, the frame 18 together with the other parts hereinbefore described as operatively associated therewith will move back and forth without having any effect upon thelight modifying members. If however, the operator desires to color or otherwise modify the light produced by the light source and directed in substantially a single light path, he depresses one of the keys 61 thereby energizing one of the electro-magnets 38. The energized electro-magnet attracts the co-operating arm 39 causing the arm 41 to be moved into position to engage the tooth 21 of the co-operating member 19, and upon the following turning movement of the member 18 in a counter-clockwise direction (as viewed=in Fig. 5 of the drawing), the tooth member 19 is given a turningmovement of substantially forty-five degrees upon the shaft 17. This causes a turning movement of the member 28 and the disc 24 in a counter-clockwise direction until the hook member 56 has operatively engaged the lip member 49 of the latch bar 47 to temporarily hold the disc 24 in the path of light from the light source 14. The further continuous movement of the member 18 has no effect upon the light modifying member or members that have been moved into their operative positions. Themechanism therefore provides a temporary operative engagement of the motor constituting the source of power, to the light modifying element to elfect a movement thereof from its normal depending inoperative position to its normal operative position where it is located in the path of light from the light source, Itmay be further noted thatthe motor-operated means is continuously actuated and that the operator may control the selective temporary operative en gagement of the motive power to the light modifying elements from a remote point by electric means.

When the operatordesires to again modify or color the light he may depress another one of the keys Bland the same action as hereinbefore described is repeated for the energizedelectro-magnet 38 and the co-'operating bell crank lever and light modifying member. The. adjustment of the tripping member 57 0f thelight modifying member 23 is .such as to engage the co-op-erating flange of the latch bar/17 after the light modifying member is in or slightly beyond its final operative position, causing a turndesired meansfor preventing swinging of the arms in their inoperative positionmay be provided. The latch bar 47 quicklyreturns to its normal operative position under the influence of the spring member 51 and the lip member 49 is efiective tohold the projecting partof the hook member 56 upon the return of clockwise movement of the light modifying member, whereby the light modifying member 23' and its disc 24 are held in their normally operative position.

If the operator desires, he may energize more than one electro-magnet sim'ultaneously, and the corresponding number of lightmodifying members willbe caused to move into. their operative positions as described above. If for instance, one of the light modifying members is in its. operative position and the operator desires to cause another one of the light modifying members to be moved to its operative position and to retain the first one in its operative position. it is only necessary for him to depress thetwo keys corresponding to the lightmodifying memher already in position and to the one which it is desired to move'into operative position. The releaseor tripping member 57 of the light modifying member moving into its op.- erative position causes-a momentary release of the previously locked light modifying member,..which is however retained in its operative position by the actionof the portion 41 ofthebellcrank lever being insuch position as to engage the tooth 21 of its co operating member 19. This holds' the mem light from said modifying means into position to modify the source.

5. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a light source, aplurality of light-modifying means normally maintained by gravity in an inoperative position as regards the light from said source, continuously reciprocated and remote-controlled means for selectively moving said lightmodifying means into position to modify the light from said source, and means for locking any displaced light-modifying means in its light-modifying position. I

6. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a light source, a plurality of light-modifying means'normally maintained by gravity in an inoperative position as regards the light fromsaid source, continuously reciprocated and remote-controlled means for selectively moving said lightmodifying means into position to modify the light from said source, means for looking any displaced light-modifying means in its light-modifying position, and means actuated by the moving light-modifying means for releasing a previously locked light-modifying means. I I I 7. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a light source having a single path of light, a plurality of individual light-modifying means pivotally mounted to swing into and out of said path of light, and remote-controlled.means for selectively causing saidlight-modifying means to be swung into and retained in the path of light, said means comprising a reciprocating pawl and, a toothed member actuated thereby. I

8. In apparatus of-the character described,

.incombination, a light source having a sin- 7 gle path of 1ight,a plurality of individual liglitanodifying means pivotally mounted to swing into and out of said path of light, and remote-controlledmeans for selectively causing said light-modifying means to be swung into and retained in the path of light, said means comprising an electromag netically controlled reciprocating pawl and a toothed member actuated thereby.

9. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a source of light, a plurality of individual light-modifying means pivotally mounted to move into and out of position to modify the light from said source, a I continuously reciprocated frame, a plurality of pawls carried by said frame, a plurality of toothed members respectively connected to said light-modifying means, remotecontrolled means for selectively controlling the operation of the'pawls to cause the toothed members and" associatedlight-modifying means to move into position to modify the light from said source, and means'for releasably locking the said; light-modifying means when moved into such position.

sition as regards the light plurality of pawls carried by said frame, a plurality of toothed members respectively connected to said light-modifying means, remote-controlled electromagnetic means for selectively controlling the operation of the pawls to cause the toothed members andassociated light-modifying means to move into position to modify the light from said source,

and means for releasably locking the sajid 11133115 m d tovsuch position, I I I In PP e i of 'charactr de scribed, in combination, .a'source' of flight,; a plurality of individual light-modifying means pivotally mounted to move into and out of position to modify the light from'said source, a continuously reciprocated frame, a plurality of pawls carried by said frame, a

plurality of toothed Imembers respectivcly connected to said light-modifying means, re-

mote-controlled means for selectively controlling the operation of the pawls to cause the toothed members and associated lightmodifyingfln'ieans to move into position to modify the light-from said source, means for releasably'locking the said light-modr fymg means when moved 'intosuch position,

and means for causing viously locked, elements; I a 12. In apparatus of thechamber described, in combination, a source of, light, a supporting frame, a plurality of. individual lightmodifying means pivotally mounted. in I frame in side-by-side relation and each normally hanging in an inoperative position as regards the lightv source, a reciprocating frame, 'a plurality of toothed-membersfoperatively associated with the respective-lightmodifying means, a plurality of pawls mounted on saidreciprocating frame for selectively causing said light-modifying means to swing into an operative pos tion to modify the light from said source, a hook on each light-modifying means, and a latch bar so mounted as to be engaged by said hooks to retain the light-modifying means in its operative position.

13. In apparatus a of the character described, in combination, a source of light, a supporting. frame, a plurality of individual light-modifying means pivotally mounted in said framefinf side-by'- side relation and eachnormally hanging'in I source, a reciprocating frame, a plurality of toothed members operativelyv associated with the respective light-modifying means, mounted onsaid reciprocating frame for selectively causing said light-modifying means them to release prean inoperative posaid I a plurality of pawls to swing into an operative position to modidisengage the hook of any other previousthe hght from said source, a hook on each 1y engaged light-modifying means. light-modifying means, a latch bar so In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 10 mounted as to be engaged by said hooks to subscribed my name this 9th day of October, 7 5 retain the light-modifying means in its 0per 1923. ative position, and means associated with V each holder for causing the latch bar to MARY HALLOCK GREENEWALT. 

